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In this heart-centered and deeply inspiring conversation, Joy Meserve and David K. Richards dive into the journey of becoming a changemaker through microschool leadership. They explore personal transformation, intuitive decision-making, and redefining success outside the traditional 9–5 mold. With honesty, humor, and decades of collective leadership experience, they share how embracing autonomy and purpose can fuel a thriving education movement. This episode is both a roadmap and a call to action for anyone ready to reclaim their essence and reimagine learning—for themselves and the next generation.
Memorable Quotes:
- “Start before you feel ready—because you never will feel ready.” — Joy
- “Life begins on the other side of fear.” — David
- “Everything in your life has prepared you for this moment.”
- “Your job title is not your identity. Your essence is.”
- “We don’t need to enmesh—we can respond with sovereignty.”
Key Topics Covered:
- Joy’s journey from COO of a global education startup to co-founder of Changemaker Education
- How intuitive nudges and spiritual awakening guide big life shifts
- The powerful transformation from educator to entrepreneur
- Creating “mind, body, soul” curriculum that balances emotional intelligence with accountability
- Why micro schools are not just schools—they're acts of sovereignty and service
- Building autonomy, mastery, and purpose into learning environments
- Releasing identity attachments to titles, income, and social comparison
- The impact of conscious leadership in decentralized education models
- Supporting founders to follow their “full body yes” and claim visionary leadership
- How the micro school movement is the disruptive innovation traditional education needs
00:00 – 08:00 – Introduction and divine alignment of Joy & David’s partnership
08:00 – 18:00 – Joy’s path from iD Tech to mindfulness to Changemaker Education
18:00 – 28:00 – The inner Sangha, grieving, and awakening during the pandemic
28:00 – 38:00 – What it means to be a microschool founder and to trust the path
38:00 – 50:00 – Unlearning top-down education, embracing founder autonomy
50:00 – 01:04:00 – Inner discipline, mind-body-soul curriculum, and real SEL
01:04:00 – 01:15:00 – Helping founders claim their vision, titles, and identities
01:15:00 – End – Future vision of education and the micro school movement as a model of disruption
08:00 – 18:00 – Joy’s path from iD Tech to mindfulness to Changemaker Education
18:00 – 28:00 – The inner Sangha, grieving, and awakening during the pandemic
28:00 – 38:00 – What it means to be a microschool founder and to trust the path
38:00 – 50:00 – Unlearning top-down education, embracing founder autonomy
50:00 – 01:04:00 – Inner discipline, mind-body-soul curriculum, and real SEL
01:04:00 – 01:15:00 – Helping founders claim their vision, titles, and identities
01:15:00 – End – Future vision of education and the micro school movement as a model of disruption
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
What is Changemaker ED“U”?
Welcome to Changemaker ED“U”, a podcast about all things microschools. If you are a paradigm shifter who wants to create change in your community through microschooling, this is the podcast for you!
We share the nuts and bolts of launching and running a successful microschool as well as important tips and tricks about leadership, business, and entrepreneurship.
I am David K Richards, the Founder & CEO of Changemaker Education, an affiliate network of microschools. With 25+ years in education reform, leadership development, and entrepreneurship, I am excited to host this podcast!